SPARTANBURG, S.C. — The organization seeking to buy the Saluda Grade from Norfolk Southern for conversion to a trail will pay $31.5 million — $1 million a mile — for the route between Zirconia, N.C., and Inman, S.C., the Spartanburg Post and Courier reports.
The states of North Carolina and South Carolina will each contribute $15 million for the transaction, Glenn Hilliard, founder and chair of the Saluda Grade Trails Conservancy, told the newspaper. The cost had not previously been announced under the terms of the sale.
“The money is being held until we make the final decision that we’re going to close the deal,” Hilliard said. “The contract is for that price unless something comes up differently. When we close, that money will be transferred to Norfolk Southern.”
The conservancy is made up of three organizations: Spartanburg PAL, Upstate Forever, and Conserving Carolina. It is currently conducting due diligence on the round, which includes an environmental assessment, title work, and surveys. Also in progress: hiring consultants to develop an economic plan with a focus on tourism marketing, and community engagement to keep the public involved in the trail-building process.
The conservancy also has received about $6 million in federal funds for the development process, including design and construction. It also will obtain some funding from sale of the rails along the line, which could raise several hundred thousand to a few million dollars, Hilliard said, depending on market factors. Much more funding will be required to build the trail, which, depending on the design, could cost $1.1 million to $5.5 million per mile.
The conservancy announced its agreement to purchase the route in March 2023 [see “Norfolk Southern to sell Saluda Grade …,” Trains News Wire, March 16, 2023. The railroad filed for abandonment of the long-dormant line — once the steepest mainline grade in the U.S. — last fall [see “Norfolk Southern files …,” News Wire, Nov. 1, 2024]. The Surface Transportation Board’s environmental office has recommended that Norfolk Southern be required to consult with South Carolina’s Department of Transportation about grade crossings that will remain, its only condition for abandonment [see “STB environmental office clears path …,” News Wire, Nov. 25, 2024].
Another trail, my,my.
31 million dollars seems like alot of money for a 31 mile by 50′-100′ wide strip of land that isn’t good for anything but what it was made for or for a hiking trail that really doesn’t need anything done to it except the track works removed (leave the signals and rail buildings for cachet and smooth out what is left. All that should cost a lot less than that with no need for consultants and such…unless… something else is planned that they don’t want people to know about… things that make you go, “Hmmm.”
Hopefully this will all work out. It might be an “up hill” challenge to acquire the sizeable funding.
OK… With the demise of Saluda and the old Pennsy Madison Hill operation, what is now the steepest mainline rail grade in the U.S.?
JOHN — This is a totally open question. I have no idea the answer. I might mention some passenger routes that (as completely wild guesses) might be among the candidates:
(1) Approaches to Hell Gate Bridge, which is a rare railroad fixed bridge (not a drawbridge) over a shipping channel.
(2) I don’t know how steep the grade at Raton Pass (BNSF) but it seems to be a bit of climb to the highest elevation on the former ATSF.
(3) SB NEC Canton Junction to Sharon (both in Massachusetts). I have no idea what the grade is, only that it crests at the highest point of NEC.
Of course I’m prejudiced as my two favorite fallen flags are ATSF and NYNH&H.
Technically the Union Pacific (former Denver and Rio Grande) line over Tennessee Pass is probably the highest Main Line Pass in the US at 10,227′ ft.asl. Yes it is not in operation but it is as active as Saluda Grade was, in mothballed state. Cumbres Pass on the Cumbres & Toltec Narrow Gauge Railroad is at 10,015 ft asl and is currently active on that railroad which operates year round but not as a main line. Raton Pass, for you information, is at 7,835 feet asl. The highest pass in the World is the Qinghai-Tibet Railway Pass on the Himalayan Plateau at 18,707 ft asl. (5702 meters)
Oh yeah, Rollins Pass in Southwestern Colorado (of course) before it was taken out was at 11,660′ ft asl. When you consider that Colorado has 22 mountain [peaks above 14,000 feet this is no surprise.